CVE-2010-0490 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, 6 SP1, 7, and 8 does not properly handle objects in memory, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by accessing an object that (1) was not properly initialized or (2) is deleted, leading to memory corruption, aka "Uninitialized Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical memory management flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6, 6 SP1, 7, and 8 that stems from improper handling of objects in memory. The issue manifests when the browser encounters objects that either fail to initialize correctly or have already been deleted from memory, creating conditions where memory corruption occurs during object access operations. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-476 category of NULL Pointer Dereference, though it specifically relates to uninitialized memory corruption rather than simple null pointer issues. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems simply by crafting malicious web content that triggers the problematic memory access patterns.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through carefully constructed web pages that force Internet Explorer to access memory locations containing uninitialized or deleted objects. When the browser attempts to interact with these improperly managed memory objects, it can lead to unpredictable memory corruption that attackers can leverage to inject and execute malicious code within the context of the user's session. This memory corruption typically occurs in the browser's memory management subsystem where objects are allocated, initialized, and eventually deallocated. The flaw is particularly insidious because it can be triggered through standard web browsing activities, making it an ideal candidate for drive-by download attacks that require no user interaction beyond visiting a compromised website.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to organizations using legacy Internet Explorer versions as it provides attackers with a reliable path to arbitrary code execution on target systems. The impact extends beyond simple exploitation as successful attacks can lead to complete system compromise, allowing attackers to install backdoors, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent access to networks. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Internet Explorer versions that were prevalent in enterprise environments throughout the early 2010s, making it particularly concerning for organizations that had not yet migrated to newer browser versions. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which describes exploitation of software vulnerabilities for privilege escalation and persistence.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate remediation through Microsoft security updates, which address the underlying memory management issues in the affected browser versions. Organizations should prioritize updating to patched versions of Internet Explorer or migrating to more secure modern browsers that have addressed these memory corruption vulnerabilities. Additional protective measures include implementing browser security restrictions such as disabling active scripting, using enhanced security configurations, and deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious content targeting these specific memory corruption patterns. Network-level protections should also include monitoring for suspicious web traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. Given the nature of memory corruption vulnerabilities, the most effective long-term solution involves complete migration away from unsupported browser versions to modern secure browsers that have robust memory management and security features.